Lighting fixture



April 11, 1933. w. c. KOCH l 1,903,463

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed April 28, 1932 William 6. Kat!) 11v VENTOR.

Patented Apr. 11, 1933 UNITED STATE p T.M 1 5.

WILLIAM c. noun, or crrnvror, 01110 7 LIGHTING rrxrunn Application filed April 28,

This invention relates to a lighting fixture such as a floor or table lamp.

An object of the invention is toprovide a lamp with self-latching quick-action mechan- 5 ical latch means whereby the lenses or panels may quickly and. conveniently be released from the lamp shade frame and replaced with other lensesor panels.

Another object is to provide a lighting fix- :m ture which readily and conveniently may be altered in order to harmonize with other furnishings in a room in which the lamp is used.

A further object is to provide a lamp of the character set forth above, wherein the actuating means for releasing the lenses are normally hidden from view and disposedto preclude accidentalactuation thereof, while at the same time they may conveniently be operated in the eventthat the lenses are to be released and replaced by other lenses. These and other obj ectsare attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l'is an elevational view of a lamp embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view taken on line 22 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view taken online 3-3 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4ofFig.3. r Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig.3.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of ns or panel to be used in connection-with the improved shade structure.

In accordance with the present invention, "the lenses or panels 8 of the lamp shade may be released from their position upon the frame 9 by merely actuating or depressing the finger piece 10 of a suitable. actuating member or rod 12. One actuating member. is provided for each panel, so that the user may depress the member 10 with one handwhile holding the lens with the other hand upon release of the lens from the lamp shade frame. It is to be noted that the quick action mechanical latch means is constructed in such a manner that no part thereof need be bent or otherwise strained at each actuation thereof, wherefore hexagonal shade such asis illustrated in the masermi na'eoaoai y p the latch means may be actuated an indefinite l number of times without breakage or injury thereto. l The actuating member or rod 12 is reciprocably mounted upon the lamp shade frame by means of guides 13, and the triangular-1y shaped latch member 14 which is supported by said rod is adapted? to have one corner thereof '15normally in engagement with a notch 16 formed in the longitudinal edge 17 Q ofthe lens or panel. Upon depressionjof the finger piece 12 against the resistance-of sprlng '18,.the latch member. 14 is moved downwardly and away from the notch 16, so as to release the panel and permit it:to drop 5 downwardly from the lamp shade frame.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and .2, the shade proper may, be provided with a plurality of radial support members 19, the inner :ends 20 of which are secured to asuitable hub 21 1; that maybe mounted atop the lamp standard 22 and heldin positionthereonbymeans of a nut or other suitable fastening means 23. The outermost endsfof the members 19' preferably are securely fastened to the top frame members 24 of theshadefi The lamp shade is preferably made in adacent. sections which maybe suitably connected to oneanother for the formation of a drawing, or the sections may be of othersuitable trapezium shape for the formation of other many sided shadestructures.

. Each of the lamp shade sections mayv coniprise a topframe 'member 2 1, preferably'of inverted U shape, a bottom frame member 25' that maybe flatpand' straight, and a pairof opposed C-shaped members or pajneli guides 26 which connect the top and bottom frame members. The adjacentC-shaped members- 26 preferably are maintained in spaced relationship so as to provide a channel or passageway 27 in 'whichthe latch means. may be disposed. The spaced relationship of said member 26 may be maintained by meansof inner and outer finishing strips 28 and 29,, respectively, which are welded, soldered, orotherwise rigidly secured to the panel or; lens guide member 26'. V In the passageway 27 are mounted suitable rod guides 13 which -proyide' bear-; 1

ing means for the rod 12,these guide members being fixed in position by any suitable means such as welding or soldering. The

spring 18 is placed upon the rod 12 in a latch member accessible to the notch 16 with which the panel is provided (see'Fig. 6). i

From the foregoing it should readily be apparent that depressing ofthe rod-12 against the yielding resistance of spring-18 will cause the latch member 14:,to move downwardly with its inclined'fa'ce or edge riding upon the lower edge '33 of slot 41, so as to retract the corner '15 of'the latch member and remove it from engagementwith the notch 16.; The'panel therebyis released and may be removed and replaced by a panel of dif ferent design or character. As indicated at 34, there may be provided an abutment for limiting the downward movement of rod 12 whereby to preclude complete'retraction of the latch member from the slot 31. The

latch rod 12 preferably is formed of resilient metal, the upper end 35 thereof being bent inwardly and upwardly of the shade frame gso that the knob or finger piece 10 may be disposed interiorly of the shade, and slightly below the level of the top thereof, so as to be in 'a convenient yet hidden location. From the foregoing,-it-should readily be apparent that I-have provided a very desirable means for: maintaining replaceable lenses in position" upon a lamp shade, said means bemg of a quick-acting and self-latching character so that thelenses may be positively held in position and removedand replaced an.

indefinite number of times without weakening thelens-holding mechanism. The self-latching means is disposed at a convenient location int'eriorly of the lamp shade, and between adjacent shade sections, so as to be conveniently operated andcomp'letely hidden from'view when the lamp. is placed in normal usage. The decorative lenses may be of parchment,

celluloid, glass or other suitable translucent material in which a notch or opening such as -16 maybe provided. As is clearly shown in Fig. 6, the lenses or panels may be of fabric material, screening, or other flexible material which depends upon a circumferential frame 36 for retention ofits shape.

It is to be noted that actuation of the latch means not only releasesthev panel, but

it effects also a slight but positive downward "projection of the panel that overcomes any possible tendency of the panel to stick or "bind within its guides. It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is I 1. A lighting fixture having in combination a lamp shade frame and. panels therefor, means on the frame for supporting the shade panels, and self-latching means adapted to operate upon application of the panels to the frame for'securing the panels in position thereon.

"2. A lighting fixture having in combina- "tion a series of; adjacent frame sections and a notched shade panel for each section, means on the frame sections for-supporting the shade panels, and spring urged self-latching means adapted normallyv to: engage the notches and hold the-panels upon application of the panels to-the frame.

' 3. A lighting fixture having in combination a-seri'esof adjacent frameisections and a notched shade panel for each-section, means on the frame sections for supporting the shade panels, and spring urgedself-latching means accessible for manualactuationinteriorly o-f'the frame and adapted normally to engage the notches and hold the panels upon application of the panels to the frame.

4. A lighting fixture having in combination a series of adjacent frame sections and a shade panel for eachsection said shade panels each being provided with an abutment, means on the frame sections for supporting the shade panels yieldingly' urged self-latching means disposed between adj acent frame sections interiorly of the frame and at the ju'nction'of'the adjacent frame sections, for normallyengagingthe" abutments of the panels and holding the-panels in position upon-the frame sections 5. A lightingfixture having in combination a lamp shadeframe and a supporting means therefor, translucent panels to be detachably'mount'ed upon'the frame, guides on the frame in which thepanels are received and thereby maintained in a definite relatio-nshlp, and self-latching quick action latch means in cooperative relationship -with:the frame and panels for holding the panels in position in the guides 6. A lighting fixture having in combination a lamp shade frame constituted of adjacent sections, rigidly secured" together in spaced'relationship to provide a wayand a housing for a latching mechanism, panel guides carried'by said sections, notched shade panels adapted for reception in the panel guides, a latching element disposed within the way' between the'section's and having an extension thereonj projectable into 50116 of the panelguides for engaging the 'n'otch'of the notched shade panel, aspring for maintaining the extension yieldingly in projected position in thepanel guide, an actuating. rod

reciprocably mounted for movement in the way between the sections, a free end on the rod extending from said way interiorly of the lamp shade frame, and means for retracting the extension from the projected position upon reciprocation of the rod.

7. A lighting fixture having in combination a lamp shadeframe constituted of adjacent sections rigidly secured together in spaced relationship to provide a way for reception of a latching mechanism, inclined panel guides carried by said sections and top strips for holding the top ends of said panel guides in predetermined spaced relationship, shade panels adapted to be slid upwardly into said panel guides, the shade panels each being provided with an abutment at its side edge, individual latch rods supported for reciprocating movement in the ways between the adjacent shade sections, an extension on each rod said extensions being yieldingly maintained normally in projected positions so as to lie in the path of movement of the panels as they are slid into position along the guides, whereby the extensions normally engage the abutments carried by the panels, manually actuatable means extending from the latch rods to a position interiorly of the lamp shade frame and exteriorly of the ways between shade sections, whereby the rods may be manually reciprocated, and means to retract the rod extensions and release the panels upon reciprocation of the rods.

8. A lighting fixture panel for lamp shade structures which are provided with quick acting mechanical latching means, said fix ture panel being constituted of a decorative sheet having upper, lower, and side edges one of said side edges having a notch formed therein for engagement with a mechanical latching means of a lamp shade structure.

9. A lighting fixture having in combination a series of adjacent frame sections and a shade panel for each section said shade panels each being provided with an abutment, means on the frame sections for supporting the shade panels, yieldingly urged self-latching means disposed between adjacent frame sections interiorly of the frame and at the junction of the adjacent frame sections, for normally engaging the abutments of the panels and hold ing the panels in position upon the frame sections, and means arranged to project the panels positively downwardly upon actuation of the self-latching means, for dislodging the panels from the frame sections.

10. A lighting fixture having in combination a lamp shade frame constituted of adj acent sections rigidly secured together in spaced relationship to provide a way and a housing for a latching mechanism, panel guides carried by said sections, notched shade panels adapted for reception in the panel guides, a latching element disposed within the way between the sections and having an extension thereon projectable into one of the panel guides for engaging the notch of the notched shadepanel, a 'springfor maintaining the extension yieldingly in projected position in the panel guide, an actuating rod reciprocably mounted for movement in the way 

